A $43 million settlement has finally been approved by a Montana court. For what? For asbestos exposure from the former W.R. Grace Mine.
Here is some history about the mine:
The mine was located in Libby, Montana. It produced vermiculite, which was used as a popular home insulation. Approximately 0% of vermiculite used in the USE for the past eight decades came from Libby and ALL of it was contaminated by asbestos.
Supposedly 1,300 people will receive payouts from this settlement (which was approved on Friday).
The majority of the people who were impacted by this are over the age of 65 and a large portion of them suffer from asbestosis. Asbestosis and other asbestos related diseases have extremely long latency periods so even now, people continue to be diagnosed decades after the mine has closed.
This is the shining examples of asbestos and how in can impact a community. In almost all asbestos training classes Libby Montana is mentioned.
Is this justice for those people? In a small way, sure. But what about those people's families? The wives and children who were exposed by a parent or a spouse who worked at the mine? Or the families exposed because they insulated their home with vermiculite?
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